Pleasant City but Unfruitful Land • Deshen Daily

Now the men of the city said to Elisha, “Behold, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees, but the water is bad, and the land is unfruitful” (2 Kings 2:19, ESV)

The inhabitants came to Elisha the prophet with a saddening request. They said “the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees, but the water is bad, and the land is unfruitful”. They lived in a pleasant city but the land was unproductive and unfruitful. Their city was beautiful but there was a “but” added to it-beautiful but….unfruitful.

Do you remember the story of Jesus and the fig tree? He saw leaves and a tree that appeared healthy and fruitful but when He came to the tree, He found no fruit. It looked beautiful, but it was empty, unfruitful and unproductive, just as the city of Jericho.

God is not as concerned about cities or trees as he is about our lives. Sometimes we find ourselves in such situations with a “but” in our lives. He is very rich with a good job and family but—. She is very beautiful but—. The Church looks very lively and nice to worship in but —. That family looks like the perfect family but—. The examples are multiple.

We can trust the Lord to bring wholeness in that area in our lives where there is a “but”. Sarah was astonishingly beautiful but she was barren. However, God turned around her story. He can do the same and make us smile in any area in our lives that is causing us pain.

MEDITATE

What part of your life has a “but”?

APPLY THE WORD

One of the things we do as humans with the “but’s” in our lives is to cover them up. Some people APPEAR as models for others but there is a big “but” in their lives that others do not see, especially in these days of the internet with social media, etc. Open up to the Lord, He will not disappoint you. Trust Him to bring healing to any part of your life that might be causing you to cry in secret. Ask Him to direct you to that believer He has prepared to help bring a solution to that “but” in your life.